Investing in the Diversity of Alberta’s Next Generation of Financial Leaders
New Foundation scholarships support gender diversity in finance and Indigenous inclusion in business at two leading post-secondary institutions in Alberta.
A shared goal across the investment industry, increasing diverse representation in the workforce, starts long before recruitment.
It starts with engaging young people in financial education, fostering a diverse talent pool and dismantling barriers that limit opportunities for diverse populations — barriers like rising tuition costs associated with obtaining a formal post-secondary education in business and finance.
Scholarships Expand Access to Financial Education
As part of broader multi-year funding agreements totaling $260,000, the AIMCo Foundation for Financial Education has established four new equity-focused scholarships at the University of Alberta (U of A) and the University of Calgary (UCalgary).
“Students from diverse backgrounds face unique barriers when it comes to accessing education and opportunities related to business and finance,” says Shayenne Selleck, executive director of the AIMCo Foundation. “Our goal is to help alleviate the financial burden associated with post-secondary education, so these students can focus on their studies and excel in their chosen fields.”
The awards support women and gender diverse students in finance and Indigenous students in business, two populations that are significantly underrepresented in the investment industry.
For Selleck, a U of A alumna and first-generation college graduate who studied mathematics, the commitment to increasing representation is personal.
“Having been through a degree program in which I was almost always one of only a few women in the room, I know firsthand how isolating that experience can be,” says Selleck. “I was lucky enough to receive student awards targeted to women in my field and they did more than ease the anxiety around my tuition — they reminded me that I belonged in this program where I rarely saw people like me.”
The new scholarships with the U of A and UCalgary expand the Foundation’s existing equity-focused award offerings, which include scholarships for women in finance and Indigenous students in business at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and MacEwan University.
Encouraging and Developing a Diverse Talent Pool
It takes wrap-around supports from early years into post-secondary and throughout career development to move the needle on diversity goals in the workplace.
To that end, AIMCo Foundation community grants fund several initiatives that deliver age-appropriate financial literacy for children and youth, and cultivate an early interest in financial education.
Beyond the Foundation, AIMCo helps students and new professionals find their career footing while ensuring all colleagues are part of an inclusive culture across the organization.
Named one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People in 2023, AIMCo offers rotational training, industry mentorship and opportunities for junior employees to take a hands-on role on large projects — all of which promote a collaborative environment that allows young colleagues to thrive. AIMCo also fosters grassroots, employee-led initiatives like peer networks for women, Indigenous colleagues and allies to build connection and belonging among a growing global team.
Each community program, student award and workplace initiative contributes to a common goal: levelling the playing field and driving diversity, equity and inclusion in the investment industry.
“Scholarships are just one small piece of the puzzle,” says Selleck. “More than anything, I hope these awards help reinforce to women, gender diverse and Indigenous students that they can take up space — that they’re welcome in their university programs and as part of the investment industry more broadly.”
Learn more about our scholarships portfolio and browse our impact report, Empowering Equity, to see all we accomplished together in 2023.
